Game of Thrones Showrunners Confirm Show Will Begin Spoiling Books

Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff have confirmed that the HBO hit will begin to spoil the A Song of Ice and Fire book series, and inevitably wrap-up before the finale volume is written by creator George R.R. Martin.

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Speaking to the Oxford Union (via Vanity Fair), Benioff explained, "Luckily, we've been talking about this with George for a long time, ever since we saw this could happen, and we know where things are heading. And so we'll eventually, basically, meet up at pretty much the same place where George is going; there might be a few deviations along the route, but we're heading towards the same destination. I kind of wish that there were some things we didn't have to spoil, but we're kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. The show must go on... and that's what we're going to do."

While Game of Thrones has made some minor deviations in adapting the books, the series will stay true to the main narrative of Martin's novels.

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According to Benioff, fans can still expect plenty of surprises and revelations for fans of the book series, however. "I think the thing that's kind of fun for George is the idea that he can still have surprises for people even once they've watched the show through to the conclusion. There are certain things that are going to happen in the books that are different in the show, and I think people who love the show and want more—want to know more about the characters, want to know more about the different characters who might not have made the cut for the show—will be able to turn to the books," said Benioff.

What are your thoughts on Game of Thrones spoiling the finale of A Song of Ice and Fire? Sound off in the comments section below!

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Anthony Couto is a writer for IGN. He co-hosts a podcast about horrible movie sequels – called Here We Go Again – which you can “like” on Facebook. Ponder with him on Twitter at @AnthCouto or on IGN at TonyCouto.